Folding attachment for sewing machines



Aug. 25, 1936. F. EBERT 2,052,222

FoLDiNe ATTACHMENT FOR SE Filed Feb. 26, 1934 WING MACHINES 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Aug. 25, 1936. F. EBERT 2,052,222

FOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINES I5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 26,1934 Aug. 25, 1936. F. EBERT FOLDING ATTACHMENT FOR SEWING MACHINESFiled Feb. 26, 1954 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 so 159:5; u,

7 7 55 I} figL-L 5 F F: 2$" anal ls O n 20) L n I 71 T 5 6 q s'r*i 'w"fi i"i%i E a0 z a4 i h 85 II I n i [1 II I '8 8 /7 8 g H I I I2 I! I I;n n o 6 Patented Aug. 25, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HINES vFritzEbert, Oberndorf-on-the-Neckar,

Germany Application February 26, 1934, Serial No. 713,036 In GermanyMarch 1, 1933 7 Claims.

This invention relates to a fabric folding device with a rubber bandguide for sewing machines for producing fabric enclosed elastic bands.

The folding device according to the invention is capable of handlingmaterial of different kinds, and for this purpose possesses adjustableparts, such as the fabric guide, which is adjustable as to width at thefeeding (inlet) point in order to take care of different thicknesses ofenclosed elastic requiring corresponding widths of the fabric.

The outlet of the folding device has a tongue which is adjustabletransversely to the fabric feed to press the outer fabric edge more orless against the rubber edge or to preventthe fabric after coming out ofthe folding device from moving sidewards away from the rubber edge. Theadjustable tongue makes it possible to sew the rubber band in the foldedfabric in this position.

The device has an upper folding plate which is also laterallyadjustable, transversely 'to the fabric feed, and consists for thispurpose of two parts. This adjustment is advantageous, as materials ofdifferent kinds will fold in different ways while the needle distancealways remains the same. In addition to the adjustability of the upperfolding plate, adjustability of the width of fold during discharge isinsured also by the provision of a movable edge guide which extends intothe lower folding plate and can be adjusted therein corresponding to theadjustment of the upper plate.

The rubber band guides are adjustable also and permit lateral adjustmentof their outlets so as to vary the position of the rubber bandslaterally relative to one another and to the fabric fold.

Furthermore, the entire folding device can be accurately adjustedtransversely to the feed path of work in which the fabric covered bandis being sewed and thus to the needles of the sewing machine.

Finally, a brake is provided for the rubber bands to regulate separatelyat will the pull of each band so as to impart for instance greatertension to the outer band than to the inner band when two rubber bandsare used and thus to insure good fitting of the garment.

By way of example, two embodiments of the invention are illustrated inthe accompanying drawings,in which Figs. 2 to 4 refer to the productionof bands with one elastic and Figs. 1 and 5 to 11 refer to theproduction with two elastics.

Figure l is a diagrammatic view of a sewing machine provided with afolder for two rubber bands, with the non-essential parts omitted; Figs.2, 3 and 4 are, respectively, a top view, front view and bottom view ofa folding device for one elastic; Figs. 5 and 6 are, respectively, a topand front view of a folding device for two elastics; 5 Fig. 7 is avertical cross section taken on line '|-l of Fig. 5 and Fig. 8 a sideview of a folding device for two elastics; Figs. 9, 10 and 11 are,respectively, a top, side and front view of the rubber band brake; andFigs. 12 and 13 are side views 10 partly in section of the, adjustingmeans for the folding device.

The folding device itself is known, and is removably secured to the top4 of the sewing machine, in front of the stitch-forming members 15thereof which are not shown, by means of the plate I, the claw 2 on theunder side and the screw 3, as shown in Fig. 1.

The folding device further comprises the fabric guide 5 which is enteredby the band fabric passed over a vertical roller 6 through the verticalslit 1. The elastic moves in a guide 8 through the device, and thematerial comes out of the device folded and with the elastic insertedtherein at the rear end 9. Figs. 5 and 7 show two guides arranged sideby side for supplying two elastics.

I According to the invention, the same device can be used for workingdifferent kinds of material. To render this possible, the height of thevertical inlet 1 is adjustable as for instance in the two elastic typeshown in Figs. 5 to 8, and particularly Figs. 6 and 8, the adjustmentbeing effected by the adjustable limiting wall H which is the lower onein the construction shown and which forms here the one side of an anglewhose other side l2 rests on the vertical ledge l3 in front of thefolding device and can be adjusted by the screws It in the longitudinalslot 15.

Furthermore, the tongue l6 at the outlet 9 is laterally adjustable, i.e., transversely to the fabric feed, as indicated in Figs. 5 to 8, andparticularly Figs. 5 and 7. It thus forms for this purpose one side ofan angle whose other angle l1 lies on the outlet end 9 and is adjustablethereon by means of the screws 18 and slots l9.

The tongue "S has for its purpose to press the folded fabric against theouter edge of the rubber so that there will be no space between therubber and the fabric in the lateral direction. Since different kinds offabric will behave differently, this tongue is made adjustable.

The upper folding plate 20 is also laterally, i. e., transversely to thefabric feed, adjustable and consists of two parts. The separated part 20is fitted with a ledge-like projection 2| and is fixed by the screws isof the stop tongue l6, which pass through a longitudinal slot 22 of theprojection 2| under the side ll of the tongue I 8.

According to the adjustment of the upper folding plate 20, a stop 24 canbe moved into the lower folding plate 23 to regulate the outlet widthand bring it into agreement with the adjustment of the upper foldingplate 20. In the construction shown the stop 24 forms a ledge at the endof a lever 25 rotating on the underside of the folding device about apin 26 and capable of being fixed at the other end by means of the screw21 and a longitudinal slot 28 curved about the fulcrum 26. a

In the two band type shown, the rubber band guides 8 are furtheradjustable relative to one another and the fold, so that their outlets30 can be laterally displaced to displace the rubber bands. For thispurpose, the guides 8 are movable at the front end about the pins 3|. Intheir adjusted position, they are held by the screws 32 and longitudinalslots 33 and can thus be individually adjusted.

chine, and screwing into the claw 2 serving for fastening the foldingdevice.

This is shown in greater detail in Figures 12 and 13, wherein the forkmember 35 is shown screwed to the machine table plate 4, in which acylindrical part of the adjusting screw 34 engages to permit theapparatus to be exactly adjusted transversely to the needle. In thetable plate 4 there is provided a longitudinal slot c in which a nut dhaving two fiat faces is movable, this nut extending through the plate iof the folder apparatus. By means of this nut d, and the washer b, theplate I is clamped to the table 4. The screw 3 also bears on the underside of the table whereby the apparatus when it has been adjusted isfirmly fixed on the table 4. By means of the screw e the apparatus canbe given a fine adjustment in the direction of feed since this screwbears against the front end of the table plate 4.

To regulate the tension of the elastics during or folding device, abrake as is provided and constructed so that the tension of each elasticcan be regulated separately.

The brake consists substantially for each elastic of a pair of rolls 36,31, the rolls of each pair being resiliently pressed against one anotherand thus act like a brake on the elastic passing between them.

The fixed rolls 36 are arranged on a joint shaft 38 in a bracket 39screwed to the working table 40 below the folding device. The movablerolls 3'! are disposed at the end of the two-armed levers 4| on theoverhung shafts 42 and rotate about the pins 43, there being a shaft 42connected to each lever 4| for each roll 31. They are under the actionof the springs 44 which resiliently press them against the stationaryrolls 36. To permit special tensioning of each band, the power of eachspring 44 is separately regulatable, for which purpose the springs 44supported by the bracket 39 press against axially adjustable abutmentsin the form of set screws 45 which can be separately adjusted to permitindividual tensioning of each elastic before it is sewn in.

I claim:-

1. An attachment device for sewing machines for folding fabric aboutelastic strip material to form a fabric enclosed elastic band,comprising a fabric folder with upper and lower guide plates convergingto an outlet for the folded fabric, means for guiding elastic stripmaterial into the fold in the fabric issuing from said outlet, and atongue extending forwardly from the fold side of the outlet andadjustable transversely to the travel of the folded fabric issuing fromsaid outlet.

2. An attachment device for sewing machines elastic strip material toelastic band, comprising a fabric folder with upper and lower guideplates converging to an outlet for the folded fabric; means for guidingelastic strip material into the fold: and means on the other guide platefor varying the effective width oi the outlet end thereof, saidlast-named means com- 25 prising a lever pivoted to the guide plate, ascrew for fixing the lever in position, and a stop on the leverconstituting a side wall engaging the edge of the fabric guided by saidguide plate.

3. A device according to claim 2, in which the fabric engaging stop is aflange integrally formed on the lever.

4. An attachment device for sewing machines for folding fabric aboutelastic strip material to form a fabric enclosed elastic band,comprising a fabric folder with upper and lower guide plates convergingto an outlet for the folded fabric. means laterally adjustable in thesaid outlet for guiding elastic strip into the fold in the fabricissuing from said outlet, adjusting devices capable of being set indiflerent positions for varying the efiective width of the fabricoutlet, and a plurality their outlet ends enabling said laterally in theoutlet for the folded fabric.

5. An attachment device for sewing machines for folding fabric aboutelastic strip material to form a fabric enclosed elastic band comprisinga table plate with means for its attachment to the sewing machine inoperative position with respect to the needle thereof, a fabric folderwith upper and lower guide plates converging to an outlet for the foldedfabric, said folder being attached to the table plate, means for guidingan elastic strip material into the fold in the fabric issuing from saidoutlet, adjusting devices capable of being set in different positionsfor v rying the effective width of said guide plates, and means foradjusting the entire device transversely to the feed path of the workthrough the sewing machine, said means comprising a clamp on the underside of the table plate and a set screw extending axially of the clampand cooperating with an edge of the machine part towhich the table plateis attached.

6. An attachment device for sewing machines a fabric folder with upperand lower guide plates converging to an outlet for the folded fabric,means for guiding elastic strips into the fold in the fabric issuingfrom said outlet, adjusting devices capable of being set in differentpositions for varying the effective width of said outlet,

separate brake means operative on said strips near their entry into theguide means. and means for separately regulating the braking action ofeach brake.

'7. An attachment device for sewing machines for folding fabric aboutelastic strip material to form a fabric enclosed elastic band,comprising a. fabric folder with upper and lower guide plates convergingto an outlet for the folded fabric, means for guiding elastic stripsinto the fold in the fabric issuing from said outlet, adjusting de-

